Elias Research Associates

What Elias Research Associates does

Elias Research Associates is a privately-held Study Management Organization (SMO) founded in 2010 and headquartered in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The company operates as an intermediary platform connecting independent clinical research sites with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device sponsors along with Contract Research Organizations (CROs). Its core service set spans business development (opportunity sourcing), contract and budget negotiation, payment processing acting as intermediary payee, and Central IRB compliance facilitation, all delivered through a network of 300+ independently owned sites across 30+ US states staffed by 500+ investigators in 35+ medical fields.

The underlying technology and operating model is administrative and process-driven rather than software-centric. Differentiated components include a PI Email Alias tracking system for non-negotiable study identification, a standardized SMO Payment Agreement with cell-level margin transparency, and Central IRB compliance processes that expedite study start-up. The SMO Payment Agreement functions as the primary financial instrument, documenting exact budget breakdowns with SMO margin deducted before site payment.

The business model is transaction-based and performance-aligned. Sites join the network at no upfront cost and Elias Research earns revenue only when a site is selected for a study, collecting a tiered one-time startup fee plus an ongoing fee equal to 9% of procedures with overhead. Stipends, vendor costs, and site costs are passed through transparently. The company is founder-owned and operated by the Billingsley family with approximately 14 named personnel, generating no disclosed external funding and serving both sides of a two-sided clinical trial marketplace.

Name

Elias Research Associates

Legal name

Elias Research Associates

Website

https://eliasresearch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Elias Research Associates is a privately-held Study Management Organization founded in 2010 that operates a network of 300+ US clinical research sites, connecting them with sponsors and CROs through contract negotiation, payment processing, and Central IRB compliance on a transactional fee basis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clinical Trial Site Management Services

NAICS

Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAGACAA

Site Network Operators & SMOs

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/Clinical Trial Services & Site Management (SMO)

SECONDARYHLAGACAB

Site Identification & Feasibility

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/Clinical Trial Services & Site Management (SMO)

SECONDARYHLAGACAE

Clinical Trial Site Operations & Study Coordination

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/Clinical Trial Services & Site Management (SMO)

Keywords

• Clinical trial site management
• Study management organization
• Contract budget negotiation
• Clinical research site network
• Investigator recruitment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Coeur D'alene

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Transaction-based SMO fees: Elias Research generates revenue through a tiered one-time startup fee and an ongoing fee of 9% of procedures with overhead. Sites pay nothing upfront to join the network. The SMO is compensated only when a site is selected for a study and begins receiving payments. Elias acts as intermediary payee between sponsors/CROs and research sites, deducting its margin transparently.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Elias Research Associates operates as a Study Management Organization (SMO) that connects a network of 300+ independently owned clinical research sites with pharmaceutical sponsors and CROs. The company provides research sites with study opportunity sourcing, contract and budget negotiation, financial and payment management, and business development support, while offering sponsors and CROs a single point of contact for investigator recruitment and centralized study coordination. Sites join the network at no upfront cost; Elias is compensated only when a site is selected for a study, through a tiered startup fee and an ongoing 9% fee on procedures with overhead.

Product overview

Elias Research Associates operates as a Study Management Organization (SMO) providing a unified platform of services that connects research sites with sponsors and CROs. The core offering consists of the Elias Research Network—a network of 300+ sites across 30+ states—supported by integrated service modules including Site Services (trial opportunity matching), Sponsor/CRO Services (investigator recruitment), Contract and Budget Negotiation Services, Business Development Services, and Payment Processing Services. The SMO Payment Agreement serves as the transparency mechanism that defines financial relationships. The company does not offer separate product tiers or add-on modules; instead, services are provided as a comprehensive suite to member sites at no upfront cost.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Site Services
• Sponsor/CRO Services
• Elias Research Network

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 study opportunities and 2,300+ contracts executed since 2010
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Top 10 CROs (9 of top 10)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020In 2020, Elias Research network conducted studies with 9 of the top 10 CROs, representing 53% of total studies for the year. CROs benefit from centralized site identification, contract negotiation, and payment management through a single point of contact.
• Top 10 Sponsors (9 of top 10)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020In 2020, network engaged in studies with 9 of the top 10 sponsors, accounting for 18% of 2020 studies. Over 200 sponsors total have been worked with throughout company history.
• 60+ Contract Research OrganizationsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThroughout history, Elias Research has partnered with over 60 CROs, demonstrating extensive reach and collaborative capabilities in the clinical trial industry.
• 200+ SponsorsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompany has worked with more than 200 sponsors including pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device companies, and government agencies.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• IQVIA: Largest global CRO with site network, site management organization, and investigator recruitment arms. Comparable to Elias in serving sponsors and CROs seeking site identification and contract management, though at vastly greater scale and with broader geographic and therapeutic reach.
• Syneos Health: Global CRO with a Site Solutions network and dedicated SMO offering site identification, contract negotiation, and patient recruitment. Comparable to Elias as a sponsor-facing site intermediary, though substantially larger and publicly traded.

Direct peers

• Clinipace Worldwide: Mid-sized CRO with embedded SMO/site services capabilities supporting Phase I-IV trials. Comparable to Elias in providing sponsor-facing site identification, contract negotiation, and payment management, though it also runs its own operational trials.
• FOMAT Medical Research: Integrated SMO and site network with locations across the US and Latin America, providing contract, budget, and business development support to investigator sites. Direct competitor to Elias in the relationship-driven, multi-site SMO segment.
• CenExel Clinical Research: Network of clinical research sites specializing in early-phase and specialty populations, including CNS, pain, and ophthalmology. Comparable to Elias as a multi-site SMO network offering site identification and investigator recruitment services to sponsors and CROs.
• Benchmark Research: Multi-site SMO and clinical research network operating across the US with vaccine and general medicine focus. Directly comparable to Elias in providing administrative, contract, and financial support to affiliated sites serving sponsor-led trials.
• Velocity Clinical Research: Privately held integrated site network and SMO that acquires and operates clinical research sites across multiple therapeutic areas in the US. Directly comparable to Elias as a multi-site operator connecting sponsors and CROs to qualified investigators, though significantly larger and PE-backed.
• Catalyst Clinical Research: Hybrid CRO and SMO offering site management, monitoring, and patient recruitment services. Comparable to Elias in offering a single point of contact for sponsor site activation and contract/budget negotiation.
• AMR (Advanced Medical Research): Multi-site clinical research organization and SMO providing centralized business development, contract, and financial services to affiliated research sites. Operates with a similar intermediary model to Elias, connecting sites to sponsors and CROs.
• Optimed Research: Mid-sized multi-site clinical research organization and SMO providing centralized business development and contract management to affiliated investigator sites. Comparable in scale and service model to Elias's intermediary SMO offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/eliasresearch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Elias Research Associates